Good news!

So, first off, I got accepted into the extremely intensive summer course I wanted so badly to take. I'm unbelievably ecstatic about this. I was certain that the unofficial transcript I had to send in with my application would be my downfall (I currently have a 1.7 GPA...).

BUT-

Hi Kirsten-

I?m pleased to tell you that you have been accepted to ANT 497: Lab and Field Methods in Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology. As a reminder, this course is being offered at the University of Massachusetts Amherst May 17-June 7, 2010. We will meet from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. There will be no class on Memorial Day.

Please review the following course information carefully:

We will spend week 1 in the lab, week 2 in the field, and week 3 back in the lab. Transportation will be provided for the week we are in the field. We will work in the field rain or shine.

This course will cover lab and field methods in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. Students will be divided into teams when we do the field excavation?half will work on the pseudo-archaeology site and half will work on the pseudo-crime scene. Please note that you WILL NOT be able to choose which team you are on. Teams will be formed after I have had a chance to meet everyone and can get a sense of who I think will work well together. All participants in this course will leave with familiarity in both bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology (and you?ll come to understand the significant amount of overlap between these two fields) so no matter what your academic and professional interests you will be covered.

There is a considerable waiting list for this course, so I ask you to get back to me by May 1st with your decision about enrollment. Attached to this email is a list of necessary equipment and textbooks?please review this before making your decision regarding enrollment so you know exactly what you need to provide in order to participate in this course.

Once you have confirmed your interest in this course you will receive information on how to register.

I sincerely hope you will be joining me in ANT 497 this summer!

Best,
Heidi Bauer-Clapp



Also, I'm finally starting to get some headway with a diagnosis.
First I went to UMass therapy, thinking they could do it--and believe me, I love my UMass therapist, but unfortunately they're not qualified to do diagnosis at UMass--and then I went to my primary care physician, hoping to get a referral. She referred me to Cooley Dickinson's behavioral science department, so I called them up and made an appointment specifically for diagnosis, and they set me up with another therapist, who's also not qualified. She then referred me to a place in Northampton that specializes in ASD diagnosis, and I emailed the woman who works with adults. She not only specializes in adults, but she works mostly with women, which sounds extremely promising (long story, but it's a very different specialty to diagnose women instead of men. Google it).
However, insurance doesn't cover something like this, and so this woman told me that she would do an informal diagnosis for me--meaning no paperwork for court or school--so that it would be cheaper, but it would still take four sessions and cost me $750 out of pocket.
Jack called his father, who told him that his (Jack's) therapist is not only qualified, but specializes in autism and has experience diagnosing women, and he charges much less (and also Jack's father could possibly pull some favors).
So we're going to ask him how much he would charge. It sounds like it would probably be around $300 (because he's $100/hr and it takes about three hours).
That would definitely be preferable.
So, we'll see.

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Day 05 — Your favourite quote



We fell into a special mood on those nights off the Zinc
Oiffs: gay, but with a touch of suspense, as if inside our skulls,
instead of the brain, we felt a fish, floating, attracted by the
Moon.

-Italo Calvino, Distance to the Moon